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ZOOLOGICAL  SERIES. 


FIELD    COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM- 
PUBLICATION  58. 

VOL.   Ill,   No.  4. 


A     LIST    OF    MAMMALS 


OBTAINED    BY 


THADDEUS  SURBER, 


IN 


NORTH  AND  SOUTH  CAROLINA, 
GEORGIA  AND  FLORIDA, 


BY 


D.  G.  ELLIOT,   F.R.S.E. 
Curator  of  Department. 


CHICAGO,   U.  S.  A. 
June,  igoi. 


LIST    OF    MAMMALS 

OBTAINED   BY 

THADDEUS  SURBER, 

FN 

NORTH   AND   SOUTH   CAROLINA,   GEORGIA 
AND  FLORIDA. 


Mr.  Surber  made  two  trips  to  the  south  Atlantic  States  and 
Florida,  in  the  winters  of  1899-1900,  and  1900-1901,  and  the  present 
collection  of  skins,  amounting  to  about  four  hundred  and  fifty,  is  the 
result  of  his  labor.  He  stopped  at  different  places  on  his  route  to 
Florida  where  the  types  of  newly  described  forms  had  been  procured, 
such  as  Riceboro,  St.  Marys,  etc.  He  was  refused  permission  to 
trap  on 'Cumberland  Island  and  consequently  was  unable  to  obtain 
specimens  of  the  Geomys  found  there  and  described  by  Mr.  Bangs. 
In  Florida  he  visited  various  type  localities  and  a  considerable 
number  of  topotypes  were  procured.  The  mammals  of  Florida  have 
suffered  many  divisions,  or  as  it  may  be  termed,  disintegration  of 
species,  and  it  was  my  desire  to  obtain  as  many  specimens  as  possible, 
especially  of  those  belonging  to  sub-species,  in  order  to  get  an  idea 
whether  or  not  these  forms  could  produce  any  convincing  reasons  for 
their  existence.  Of  some  of  these,  such  as  the  opossum,  and  the 
mole  from  Anastasia  Island,  a  definite  conclusion  was  reached,  but 
of  the  raccoon  and  certain  mice  and  gophers  (Geomys),  my  series 
were  not  sufficient  to  enable  me  to  arrive  at  a  satisfactory  decision. 
After  finding,  as  was  the  case  in  one  instance,  that  seventy  speci- 
mens of  the  species  and  race  were  not  enough  to  establish  a  claim  to 
subspecific  rank,  one  might  naturally  ask,  how  many  examples  must 
one  have  before  he  is  authorized  to  form  an  opinion  as  to  subspecific 
values?  Few  persons  comparatively  can  have  at  their  disposal 
seventy  specimens  of  a  single  form,  and  if  these  are  not  sufficient 
to  establish  a  species  or  subspecies,  it  would  seem  likely  that  the 
fault  lay  more  with  the  describer  of  the  form  than  with  him  who 
failed  to  find  the  characters  that  were  supposed  to  exist. 

Florida  has  been  a  fruitful  field  for  the  creation  of  subspecies, 
and  few  opportunities  for  describing  them  have  been  missed,  but  a 
number  are  evidently  in  a  very  unsatisfactory  state,  and  require  an 


32  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.   III. 

altogether  too  large  array  of  witnesses  to  keep  them  from  falling 
back  into  the  obscurity  from  which  they  have  been  mistakingly 
brought. 

It  is  to  be  hoped,  however,  that  the  pendulum  has  reached  the 
farthest  point  in  its  swing  towards  an  extreme  radicalism  in  the 
recognition  of  forms,  and  as  it  returns  to  a  reasonable  equipoise,  that 
a  more  conservative,  and  as  it  appears  to  many,  a  more  sensible 
treatment  of  the  often  insignificant  differences  in  the  appearance  of 
animals  may  be  attained. 

ORDER  MARSUPIALIA. 
FAM.   DIDELPHYID.E. 

DIDELPHYS. 
Didelphys  virginiana. 

Didelphys  virginiana.     Linn.  Syst.  Nat.,  i.  1758,  p.  54. 

Didelphys  pigra.      Bangs,   Proc.   Bost.    Soc.    Nat.    Hist.,    1898, 
p.   172. 

Six  specimens  from  New  Berlin,  Anastasia  Island,  Enterprise, 
and  Gainesville,  Florida. 

These  examples  ought  to  belong  to  the  race  named  pigra  by 
Mr.  Bangs,  but  I  fail  utterly  to  discover  any  character  to  dis- 
tinguish them  from  typical  D.  virginiana.  Mr.  Bangs  states 
(1.  c.)  that  pigra  is  "smaller"  than  the  Virginia  opossum,  with  a 
"longer  and  more  slender  tail  and  smaller  feet."  All  these 
are  comparative  distinctions  and  may  be  observed  among  indi- 
viduals in  any  series  of  opossums  from  various  localities, 
occasionally  even  from  the  same  locality.  In  size  these  six 
•specimens  range  in  their  total  length  from  712  to  890  mm.,  and 
the  tails  from  300  to  370.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  within  these 
figures  are  practically  embraced  the  measurements  of  the  Vir- 
ginia opossum,  which  ranges,  in  my  experience,  from  570  to  871 
in  total  length  and  the  tail  from  260  to  394,  therefore  the  average 
Florida  animal  does  not  seem  to  be  smaller  than  the  typical 
form,  but  the  tail  may  be  slightly  longer.  If  this  is  a  character, 
however,  it  demands  an  absolute  certainty  of  locality  and  a 
considerable  number  of  examples  to  prove  as  to  which  form  a 
specimen  may  belong,  two  desiderata  not  always  possible  to 
command.  Of  twelve  specimens  of  D.  virginiana,  in  the  New 
York  Museum  of  Natural  History,  the  measurements  of  which 
were  kindly  sent  to  me  by  Dr.  Allen,  the  following  figures  repre- 


JUNE,  igoi.   MAMMALS  FROM  N.  C. ,  S.  C. ,  GA.  AND  FLA. — ELLIOT. 


33 


sent  the  averages:  Total  length,  772.33  mm.;  tail  vertebrae, 
316.5;  hind  foot,  66.6;  among  these  were  two  tails  only  255  and 
270  mm.  in  length.  Mr.  Bangs'  twelve  specimens  of  pigra  (1.  c.) 
average,  total  length  809.1;  tail  vertebrae,  343.6;  hind  foot,  62. 
The  animals,  it  will  be  observed,  average  considerably  larger 
than  those  of  virginiana  from  Dr.  Allen,  and  their  tails  possess 
no  greater  length  than  their  larger  size  requires  to  be  in  harmony. 
The  foot  average  is  66.6  for  the  typical  form,  and  62  for  those 
of  Mr.  Bangs'  examples  from  Florida  and  Georgia,  but  Mr. 
Surber's  six  specimens  give  an  average  foot  measurement  of  71. 
Mr.  Bangs'  first  six  specimens  give  an  average  foot  measurement 
of  68.1,  and  the  first  six  of  Dr.  Allen's  65.5.  It  does  not  seem 
therefore,  from  these  figures  that  the  average  measurements  of 
the  Florida  opossum  is  smaller  than  the  northern  form.  But  it 
would  not  be  safe  to  depend  upon  a  length  of  tail  for  specific 
distinction,  when  that  varies  from  287  to  402.  Size  as  a 
character  can  never  be  depended  upon. 

The   following   tables  show  the  measurements  of  Dr.   Allen's 
and'  Mr.  Bangs'  specimens. 

DIDELPHYS   VIRGINIANA. 


Mus.  No. 

LOCALITY. 

Sex. 

Total 
Length 

Head 
and 
Body. 

Tail. 

Hind 
Foot. 

56,567 

Montauk  Point.  N.  Y  

9 

73O 

475 

2^5 

65 

47,132 

Golden  City,  Mo  

9 

774 

46O 

10  ? 

60 

34,867  ' 
48,521 

Hartshorne,  I.  T  

9 

7^O 

4-3C 

IK 

6; 

36*J79 
16,594 

Hatteras,  N.  C  

$ 

871 

;i8 

1^1 

6; 

l6,5Q=; 

Hatteras,  N.  C  

$ 

640 

•jyo 

27O 

65 

45,o<;8 

Riceboro,  Ga  

9 

747 

417 

no 

66 

33,060 
46,895 

Danville,  Tenn  

$ 

785 

465 

12O 

52 

47,768 

Clarkville,  Tenn  

9 

75O 

440 

110 

60 

47  1  2O 

Big  Sandy,  Tenn  

9 

74O 

41O 

'UO 

66 

34,864 
8,651 

San  Antonio,  Tex  

$ 

864 

472 

-IQA 

75 

10,340 
8,651 

San  Antonio,  Tex  

$ 

787 

482 

y>5 

7O 

10,338 
07,140 

Virginia  Point,  Tex    

$ 

830 

480 

350 

80 

34 


FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.   Ill 


MR.  BANGS'  FLORIDA  AND  GEORGIA  SPECIMENS. 
D.  r.  pigra. 


LOCALITY. 

No. 

Sex  and 
Age. 

Total 
Length. 

Tail 
Vert. 

Hind 
Foot. 

Florida,  Oak  Lodge  

^oo 

Type  9  V£-  ad. 

762 

"M/O 

66 

Florida,  Eau  Gallic  
Florida,  Citronelle  

7,223 
2.4O3 

9  yg.  ad. 
9  old  ad. 

734 
80? 

304 

-14O 

63 
6q 

Florida,  Deer  Creek  
Florida,  New  Berlin  
Florida,  New  Berlin. 

2493 
6,530 
6,528 

$  yg.  ad. 
9  ad. 
9  ad. 

757 
875 

Q22 

325 
390 
1O2 

69 
72 

Florida,  New  Berlin  .... 
Georgia,  St.  Mary's  

6,529 

;  ziz 

9  ad. 
9  ad. 

793 
836 

340 
318 

70 
71 

Georgia,  St.  Mary's  

5,041 

9  ad. 

74? 

111 

62 

Georgia,  Sterling  

6.117 

9  old  ad. 

865 

"U^ 

68 

Georgia,  Barrington  

6,422 

£ad. 

830 

^7* 

68 

Georgia,  Montgomery  

6,200 

9  old  ad. 

785 

340 

67 

. 

Unless,  therefore,  locality  is  to  be  regarded  as  a  character,  I  fail 
to  find  any  that  are  recognizable  in  any  example  of  so-called 
pigra  that  would  warrant  a  separation  from  the  typical  form. 

Two  of  Mr.  Surber's  examples,  one  from  Enterprise  and  one 
from  Gainesville,  are  black,  and  if  their  localities  were  unknown 
they  might  easily  be  taken  for  D.  marsupialis  ex  Mexico. 
In  regard  to  this  peculiarity,  -Mr.  Surber  writes,  "from  all 
I  can  learn  there  seem  to  be  two  patterns  of  coloration  among 
opossums  in  this  State  (Florida),  the  one  frequenting  the  open 
pine  woods  and  prairies  being  of  a  light  grayish  hue,  like 
normal  specimens  found  farther  north,  while  those  found  in  the 
swamps  and  low  hummocks  are  very  dark  in  color,  like  the  one  I 
got  at  Gainesville.  Apparently  they  are  subject  to  a  wide  range 
of  color  variation,  and  also  size." 


ORDER  RODENTIA. 
FAM.  SCIURID.E. 

SCIURUS. 

Sciurus  niger. 

Sciurus  niger.     Linn.  Syst.  Nat.,  i,  1758,  p.  64. 

Three  specimens:  i,  Riceboro,  Georgia;  2,  New  Berlin, 
Florida. 

While  in  some  portions  of  Florida  the  fox  squirrel  is  said  to 
be  not  uncommon,  as  in  the  district  about  Citronelle  on  the 


JUNE,  1901.   MAMMALS  FROM  N.  C.,  S.  C. ,  GA.  AND  FLA. — ELLIOT.     35 

west  coast,  it  is  difficult  to  secure  specimens,  a  dog  being  neces- 
sary to  assist  the  hunter.  Near  St.  Mary's,  Ga.,  Mr.  Surber 
writes  that  they  seem  to  be  practically  extinct,  but  in  the  pine 
lands  south  and  west  of  Riceboro,  they  are  tolerably  common. 
He  adds,  "there  are  more  fox  squirrels  within  twenty  miles 
about  Jacksonville,  Florida,  than  in  any  place  visited  by  the 
writer  in  the  State.  In  the  vicinity  of  Enterprise  they  are 
nearly  extinct."  One  of  the  specimens  from  New  Berlin  has  the 
under  parts  dark  buff,  while  the  rest  of  the  body,  head,  legs  and 
entire  tail  above  and  beneath  is  jet  black,  relieved  only  by 
the  white  nose  and  edge  of  ears.  This  melanistic  pelage  in 
such  a  complete  condition  is  very  rare.  The  Riceboro  example 
shows  an  inclination  towards  melanism,  as  the  edges  of  thighs 
and  arms  are  jet  black,  and  the  under  parts  blackish.  The  other 
New  Berlin  specimen  has  a  normal  coloration. 


Sciurus  carolinensis. 

Sciurus  carolinensis.     Gmel.  Syst.  Nat.,  i,  1788,  p.  148. 

Thirteen  examples:  i,  Apex,  North  Carolina;  2,  Calhoun 
Falls,  South  Carolina;  4,  St.  Mary's,  Georgia;  i,  Riceboro, 
Georgia  ;  i,  New  Berlin,  i,  St.  Charles  Creek,  i,  Oak  Lodge,  i, 
Enterprise,  and  i,  Crystal  River,  Florida. 

In  this  small  series  of  the  gray  squirrel  from  various  localities, 
a  surprising  variation  in  measurements  is  found  among  the 
adults.  The  largest  from  Apex,  North  Carolina,  has  a  total 
length  of  490  mm.,  and  tail  vertebrae,  215.  The  total  length  of 
the  St.  Mary's  specimens  ranges  from  420-450  ;  tail  vertebrae, 
175-220;  while  that  of  the  Florida  examples  is  425-440;  tail 
vertebrae,  200-215  >  tne  last  averaging  in  total  length  431.7,  or  7 
mm.  less  than  Bangs'  S.  c.  extimus,  which  is  called  the  smallest 
of  the  S.  carolinensis  series.  The  description  of  S.  c.  extimus  is 
suited  to  some  of  these  Florida  skins,  but  they  also  agree  per- 
fectly with  those  from  the  north  in  color  of  pelage,  and  undoubt- 
edly should  be  regarded  as  S.  carolinensis,  although  apparently 
possessing  all  the  characters  that  are  given  as  distinguishing 
S.  c.  extimus.  I  regret  that  at  present  I  have  no  examples  from 
Dade  County,  the  typical  locality  oiS.  c.  extimus,  to  compare  with 
these  more  northern  specimens,  and  so  get  a  better  conception 
of  the  value  of  the  sub-species  as  a  separate  form.  Judging 
from  the  description  alone  one  would  have  little  hesitation  in 


36  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.   III. 

calling  the  animals  from  Enterprise  and  Oak  Lodge  extimus, 
but  unfortunately  they  refuse  to  be  separated  from  the  true 
S.  carolinensis.  In  the  museum  collection  there  are  examples 
from  E.  Penn  opposite  Micco,  and  also  from  Tarpon  Springs, 
Enterprise  and  Micco,  and  all  except  the  first  are  the  same  in 
size  and  appearance  as  those  procured  by  Mr.  Surber,  which 
might  indicate  that  the  Florida  form  in  some  places  is  inclined 
to  be  smaller  than  the  northern.  I  say  in  some  places,  for 
unfortunately  for  even  this  supposition,  I  find  the  specimen 
from  E.  Penn  opposite  Micco,  collected  by  Mr.  F.  M.  Chap- 
man, gives  the  measurements  taken  in  the  flesh,  total  length, 
490;  tail  vertebrae,  260;  thus  equaling  the  total  length  of  Mr. 
Surber's  largest  example  from  North  Carolina.  It  would  seem 
from  these  facts  very  doubtful  if  there  was  more  than  one  form 
of  gray  squirrel  in  Florida,  for  none  could  possibly  imagine  that 
two  races  so  closely  allied  as  these  must  be,  would  be  found  in 
the  same  State. 

Regarding  some  of  these  examples,  Mr.  Surber  writes:  "  The 
specimen  taken  at  Riceboro,  Ga. ,  is  small,  and  I  was  told 
that  ail  taken  in  that  vicinity  are  like  it."  (This  measures,  total 
length,  450;  tail  vertebrae,  215).  "In  the  hardwood  hummocks, 
both  at  New  Berlin  and  Enterprise,  squirrels  of  probably  the 
small  Florida  form  are  fairly  common,  but  they  are  unknown  in 
the  pine  woods,  being  altogether  confined  to  the  heavy  swamps 
and  hummocks  in  both  Florida  and  Georgia.  I  was  told  they 
had  become  very  rare  about  Micco  during  the  past  two  or  three 
years." 


SCIUROPTERUS. 
Sciuropterus  volans. 

Mus  volans.      Linn.      Syst.  Nat.,  i,  1776,  p.  85. 

Eight  examples:  7,  Calhoun  Falls,  South  Carolina;  i,  St. 
Mary's,  Georgia. 

Three  of  the  Calhoun  Falls  specimens  have  the  under  side  of 
the  tail  inclined  to  a  pinkish  color,  very  similar  to  one  of  the 
Enterprise  skins  supposed  to  be  6".  v.  querceti  and  if  the  locality 
was  unknown  they  would  probably  be  referred  to  that  species  by 
most  systematists.  It  is  rather  far  north,  however,  to  look  for  a 
gradation  into  the  Florida  subspecies,  and  so  we  can  only 
regard  them  as  deeply  colored  individuals  of  S.  rolans. 


JUNE,  1901.   MAMMALS  FROM  N.  C.,  S.  C.,  GA.  AND  FLA. — ELLIOT.      37 

Sciuropterus  volans  querceti. 

Sciuropterus  volans  querceti.  Bangs,  Proc.  Biol.  Soc.  Wash., 
1896,  p.  166. 

Two  specimens  from  Enterprise,  Florida. 

I  refer  these  examples  to  the  present  subspecies,  on  account 
of  the  pinkish  red  under  surface  of  the  tail.  They  are  not  alike 
in  this  coloration,  one  being  of  a  very  much  deeper  hue  than  the 
other  and,  indeed,  more  pinkish  than  an  example  before  me  from 
Tarpon  Springs.  Mr.  Bangs  says  that  .this  subspecies  passes 
into  true  volans  in  southern  Georgia,  a  series  of  specimens  from 
St.  Marys,  Ga. ,  being  intermediate  between  the  two.  Judging 
from  the  Calhoun  Falls  specimens  above  mentioned,  we  will  be 
obliged  to  carry  the  line  of  separation  quite  a  space  northward. 
A  large  series  of  flying  squirrels  from  the  Atlantic  States  into 
southern  Florida  will  alone  enable  us  to  form  a  correct  judg- 
ment as  to  whether  this  form  is  worthy  of  a  separate  rank,  and 
if  so,  where  the  dividing  line  of  species  and  subspecies  really 
exists,  for  it  would  appear  to  be  neither  in  Florida  nor  Georgia. 

FAM.   MURID.E. 

MUS. 
Mus  alexandrinus. 

Mus  alexandrinus.  Is.  Geoff.  Descr.  Egypt,  u,  1812,  p.  733, 
Atlas,  pi.  v,  fig.  i. 

Two  specimens:  i,  Espanita,  Anastasia  Island;  i,  Enterprise, 
Florida. 

PEROMYSCUS. 
Peromyscus  gossypinus. 

Peromyscus  gossypinus.  (Le  Conte),  Proc.  Acad.Nat.  Scien., 
Phil.,  1853,  p.  411. 

Seventeen  examples:  7  Riceboro  (type  locality),  Georgia;  3, 
New  Berlin;  i,  St.  Charles  Creek;  6,  Gainesville,  Florida. 

This  species  did  not  appear  to  be  very  abundant  at  any  of  the 
places  visited  by  Mr.  Surber,  as  the  small  number  of  specimens 
taken  proves. 

Peromyscus  g.  palmarius. 

Peromyscus  g.  palmarius.  Bangs,  Proc.  Biol.  Soc.  Wash., 
1896,  p.  124. 


38  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.   III. 

Thirty-six  specimens:  2,  near  Oak  Lodge  (type  locality);  4, 
Micco;  3,  E.  Penn  opposite  Micco;  13,  Enterprise;  10,  Crys- 
tal River;  4,  Tarpon  Springs,  Florida. 

This  close  ally  of  P.  gossypinus  was  not  uncommon  in  certain 
localities,  though  no  large  series  were  taken.  Mr.  Surber,  in  his 
notes,  says:  "  The  cotton  mice  secured  at  Enterprise  were  taken 
in  palmetto  hummocks  exclusively,  two  of  the  specimens  having 
been  taken  from  an  old  Neotoma  nest  in  a  hollow  log  lying  about 
six  feet  above  the  ground.  All  the  others  were  taken  near  rotten 
logs,  or  at  the  base  of  a  hollow  tree.  I  got  four  specimens  of 
this  mouse  at  Micco,  taking  them  all  among  the  scrub  on  the  sand 
ridge  just  west  of  the  Indian  River.  Of  the  five  specimens  taken 
on  the  East  Peninsula,  near  Oak  Lodge,  four  of  them  came  from 
the  beach  among  the  sea  oats,  while  the  other  was  taken  on  the 
river  side  among  the  mangrove  bushes."  At  Crystal  River,  on 
the  west  side,  he  found  "cotton  mice  fairly  plentiful  in  one  of 
the  large  swamps,  but  swamps  were  scarce  about  Citronelle,  the 
country  being  high  pine  ridges,  and  not  a  single  specimen  was 
secured.  Cotton  mice  live  in  the  swamps  and  canebrakes,  and 
it  is  a  rare  thing  if  one  is  found  where  the  country  is  high 
and  dry." 

This  form  so  closely  resembles  P.  gossypinus  that  it  is  not 
always  easy  to  distinguish  them  from  each  other,  and  of  the  two 
series  before  me  there  are  a  number  of  individuals  in  each  so 
nearly  alike  that,  should  they  lose  their  labels,  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  rename  them  as  they  were,  unless  by  a  mere  chance. 
The  characters  that  distinguish  this  form,  as  given  by  Bangs 
(1.  c.),  are  "  colors  paler  and  more  yellowish,  no  decided  darker 
dorsal  band;  a  black  orbital  ring;  hind  foot  shorter."  All  of  these 
characters  I  find  in  the  specimens  of  P.  gossypinus,  and  characters 
such  as  are  given  for  the  species  and  subspecies  are  also  found  in 
examples  from  Gainesville.  The  average  length  of  the  hind  foot 
of  the  two  forms  is  about  the  same,  but  in  the  majority  of  the 
subspecies  they  measure  22  and  23  mm.  In  many,  indeed  I  may 
say  in  most,  of  the  specimens  there  is  a  decided  darker  dorsal 
band,  and  the  general  colors  are  no  paler  than  in  P.  gossypinus,  but 
the  orbital  ring  is  generally  darker,  though  some  of  the  specific 
forms  have  the  ring  equally  dark.  Altogether,  while  I  am  of  the 
impression  that  this  form  will  eventually  become  a  synonym  of 
P.  gossypinus,  I  do  not  consider  that  my  material  is  sufficient  to 
enable  me  to  reach  a  final  decision.  It  may  pass  as  a  sub- 
species with  the  Scotch  verdict  "not  proven." 


JUNE,  1901.    MAMMALS  FROM  N.  C.,  S.  C.,  GA.  AND  FLA. — ELLIOT.     39 

Peromyscus  anastasiae. 

Peromyscus  anastasiae.  Bangs,  Proc.  Bost.  Soc.  Nat.  Hist., 
1898,  p.  195: 

Ten  examples  from  Espanita,  Anastasia  Island,  Florida. 

This  mouse  is  very  questionably  separated  from  P.  gossypinus, 
and  there  are  specimens  before  me  of  this  form,  and  of  P.  g. 
pattnarms  from  Enterprise  and  of  P.  gossypinus  from  Riceboro, 
Georgia,  that  are  precisely  alike  in  coloration,  and  cannot  be 
separated.  As  a  rule,  the  Espanita  examples  may  be  slightly 
paler  than  those  of  P.  gossypinus,  but  dark  ones  are  met  with 
among  them  that  will  equal  the  deeper  hues  of  the  other  forms. 
Larger  series,  and  from  numerous  localities,  would  be  necessary 
to  decide  the  validity  of  a  subspecific  rank. 

Peromyscus  nuttalli. 

Peromyscus  nuttalli.  (Harl.),  Am.  Month.  Journ.,  1832,  p. 
446. 

Thirty  specimens:  9,  Apex;  6,  Roanoke  Rapids,  North  Caro- 
lina; 12,  Calhoun  Falls;  3,  Catawba,  South  Carolina. 

With  one  exception,  all  the  Calhoun  Falls  examples  were 
taken,  Mr.  Surber  says,  "in  a  marshy  place  at  the  head  of  a 
small  ravine,  and  all  the  others  in  a  low,  wet,  hardwood  forest, 
where  they  were  probably  numerous  among  the  many  half-rotten 
logs  with  which  the  earth  was  strewn.  This  tract  of  timber  was 
original  forest,  with  such  trees  a£  ash,  swamp  oak  and  hickory 
prevailing,  with  here  and  there  a  small  walnut  tree.  Many 
specimens  had  the  cheek  pouches  crammed  with  rolled  oats, 
with  which  the  traps  were  baited,  also  grass  seeds." 

Peromyscus  floridanus. 

Peromyscus  floridanus.  (Chapman),  Bull.  Amer.  Mus.  Nat. 
Hist.,  1889,  p.  117. 

Twenty-nine  examples:  10,  Espanita,  Anastasia  Island;  9, 
Micco;  5,  Enterprise;  3,  Citronelle;  i,  Crystal  River;  i,  Tarpon 
Springs,  Florida. 

On  Anastasia  Island,  Mr.  Surber  says,  "this  mouse  will  be 
found  a  common  species,  inhabiting  that  part  which  is  covered 
with  a  growth  of  scrub  oaks  and  saw  palmettos,  its  favorite 
haunts  wherever  found  in  the  State.  Six  specimens  were  taken 
in  this  sort  of  surroundings,  and  another  was  secured  on  the 
sand  hills  where  P.  phasma  is  so  common.  When  I  say  it  will 


4O  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.   III. 

yet  be  found  a  common  species,  I  feel  perfectly  safe,  for  by  far 
the  greater  part  of  the  island  is  just  suited  to  its  habitat,  being 
an  endless  growth  of  scrub,  and  high  and  dry."  At  Enterprise 
he  found  this  species  "  in  the  flat  woods  scrub.  In  some  places 
in  those  woods  the  scrub  oaks  and  saw  palmettos  grow  rather 
sparingly,  leaving  the  bare  white  sand  showing  in  large  patches, 
and  here  is  where  I  secured  all  my  specimens.  In  the  flat  woods, 
one-quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  Micco,  I  secured  quite  a  little  series 
of  this  beautiful  mouse  in  identically  the  same  character  of 
surroundings  as  at  Enterprise,  and  we  must  conclude  it  is  as 
plentiful  in  the  flat  woods,  when  not  too  thickly  overgrown  with 
scrub,  as  on  the  sand  hills.  At  Micco  I  took  one  in  the  fresh  water 
marsh.  On  Anastasia  Island  all  the  specimens  of  this  mouse 
were  taken  on  top  of  the  sand  ridge  next  the  beach."  No 
examples  were  procured  at  Gainesville,  and  the  country  about 
Crystal  River  was  not  suitable  for  the  animal,  but  at  Citronelle 
and  Tarpon  Springs  it  was  favorable.  At  the  latter  place  many 
burrows  were  found  under  clumps  of  dead  beanstalks  and  grass, 
"about  2  to  2^  inches  in  diameter,  and  6  inches  deep,  descend- 
ing perpendicularly  in  the  sandy  soil.  No  effort  was  made  to 
conceal  the  entrance.  I  could  not  find  them  in  any  other  place, 
though  sand  hills  and  ridges  suitable  for  their  abode  were 
common  enough." 

Peromyscus  niveiventris. 

Peromyscus  niveiventris.  (Chapman),  Bull.  Amer.  Mus.  Nat. 
Hist.,  1889,  p.  117. 

Four  specimens:  2,  Oak  Lodge;  2,  E.  Penn  opposite  Oak 
Lodge,  Florida. 

Of  this  species  Mr.  Surber  says,  "I  took  over  30  specimens 
of  the  beach  mouse  on  the  East  Peninsula  just  south  of  Oak 
Lodge,  but  the  ants  ruined  all  but  four.  They  did  not  appear  to 
be  very  numerous  as  I  had  about  sixty  traps  out  and  should  have 
caught  over  a  hundred  in  the  same  length  of  time  if  they  had 
been  abundant.  I  found  them  nowhere  but  among  the  sea  oats 
on  the  beach." 

Peromyscus  niveiventris  phasma. 

Peromyscus  phasma.  Bangs,  Proc.  Bos.  Soc.  Nat.  Hist., 
1898,  p.  199. 

Twenty-five  examples  from  Espanita,  Anastasia  Island,  Florida. 


JUNE,  1901.   MAMMALS  FROM  N.  C.,  S.  C. ,  GA.  AND  FLA. — ELLIOT.     41 

This  beautiful  little  mouse  is  a  very  close  ally  of  P.  niveiventris, 
resembling  it  so  closely  that  it  can  only  properly  be  considered 
as  a  subspecies.  The  white  of  the.  under  parts  extends  farther 
up  on  the  sides,  and  the  back  is  possibly  a  little  more  drab,  and 
that  is  about  all  the  difference  between  the  two  forms.  Mr. 
Surber's  notes  give  the  following  account  of  this  animal-  "  This 
mouse,  which  is  prettier  than  its  near  relative  P.  niveiventris, 
does  not  seem  to  live  anywhere  but  among  the  scattered  tufts  of 
sea  oats  on  the  upper  beach,  and  there  I  was  able  to  trace  them 
to  their  burrows  at  the  base  of  a  bunch  of  sea  oats  or  bush,  by 
their  little  footprints.  I  saw  a  great  many  of  their  burrows, 
which  were  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  and 
running  back  at  an  angle  of  about  30  degrees  into  the  sand.  The 
burrows  were  generally  pretty  well  concealed  by  the  overhanging 
blades  of  grass." 

Peromyscus  subgriseus. 

Peromyscus  subgriseus.      (Chapman),    Bull.    Amer.    Mus.  Nat. 
Hist.,  1893,  p.  340. 
-  Eleven  specimens  from  Gainesville,  Florida. 

Of  this  species  Mr.  Surber  writes:  "About  two  miles  south  of 
the  city  (Gainesville),  along  the  rock  road,  there  is  a  small, 
rather  rocky  hill,  cleared  of  all  trees,  and  grown  up  in  broom 
grass  and  rag  weed.  There  appeared  to  be  quite  a  colony  of 
these  interesting  little  mice  in  that  hill,  and  though  most  of  the 
grass  and  weeds  had  been  burnt  away  leaving  their  burrows 
exposed,  they  were  still  holding  the  ground,  and  all  the  speci- 
mens secured  were  taken  at  that  place,  though  I  trapped  for 
them  in  every  direction  about  the  city.  Apparently  they  live  in 
colonies  and  on  the  higher  rocky  and  sandy  ridges.  A  number 
of  specimens  were  destroyed  by  ants,  but  a  small  series  were 
saved  in  good  order." 

SIGMODON. 
Sigmodon  hispidus. 

Sigmodon  hispidus.      Say   and  Ord,  Jour.  Acad.    Nat.    Scien., 
Phil.,  1825,  p.  352. 

Forty-five    examples:    31,    Calhoun  Falls,   South  Carolina;  5, 
Riceboro;   2,  St.  Mary's,  Georgia;  7,  Gainesville,  Florida. 

There  is  considerable  variation   in   color   among   these   speci- 
mens,  those  from  Riceboro  being  very  dark,  in    fact    blackish, 


42  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,   VOL.    III. 

while  those  from  Calhoun  Falls  are  inclined  to  a  rufous  brown 
mixed  with  black,  the  former  color,  however,  predominating,  and 
the  examples  from  *Gainesville  cannot  be  separated  from  those 
obtained  at  Calhoun  Falls.  The  trouble  with  specimens  of  this 
rat  is  that  their  color  varies  so  much,  and  this  is  particularly 
noticeable  according  to  the  way  in  which  the  light  strikes  them 
(with  or  against  the  hair),  so  that  one  is  easily  misled  as  to  what 
the  real  hue  is.  When  the  light  shows  with  the  hair  the  color  is 
always  darkest,  and  a  specimen  that  is  quite  dark  one  way  is 
sometimes  comparatively  pale  the  other.  It  is  a  curious  distri- 
bution, if  we  must  recognize  a  species  and  subspecies,  that  South 
Carolina  examples  should  most  nearly  resemble  and  be  seemingly 
inseparable  from  those  near  Gainesville,  while  those  lower  down 
the  west  coast  of  Florida  and  yet  not  far  removed  from  the  city 
just  named,  should  be  apparently  nearer  to  Micco  and  Enterprise 
examples.  If  there  is  a  race  of  S.  hispidus  in  Florida,  it  has  in 
its  midst  a  colony  of  the  specific  form,  and  if  color  is  to  be  the 
criterion  I  cannot  connect  that  colony  with  the  northern  animals 
by  my  specimens  from  New  Berlin  and  Anastasia  Island,  which 
appear  to  agree  better  with  Micco  and  Enterprise  examples. 

Sigmodon  hispidus  littoralis. 

Sigmodon  littoralis.  Chapman,  Bull.  Amer.  Mus.  Nat.  Hist., 
1889,  p.  118. 

Twenty-seven  specimens:  2,  New  Berlin;  9,  Espanita,  Ana- 
stasia Island;  3,  E.  Penn  opposite  Micco  (type  locality);  4, 
Micco;  4,  Enterprise;  3,  Citronelle;  2,  Tarpon  Springs,  Florida. 

These  examples  I  refer  to  Mr.  Chapman's  subspecies.  He 
says  it  is  similar  to  S.  hispidus,  but  darker.  The  skins  before 
me  cannot  be  said  to  carry  out  this  supposed  distinction.  The 
darkest  are  those  from  Micco,  and  the  lightest  those  from  E. 
Penn  opposite  Micco.  The  dark  ones  from  Micco  are  equalled  in 
color  and  depth  of  hue  by  the  specimens  from  Riceboro,  Georgia, 
and  I  see  no  way  of  separating  them,  while  the  Citronelle 
and  Tarpon  Springs  examples  match  fairly  well  with  those 
from  E.  Penn  and  these  agree  with  some  from  Anastasia  Island. 
There  would  seem  to  be  therefore  a  considerable  variation  in  the 
depth  of  color  of  this  rat,  and  as  examples  do  not  always  resemble 
each  other  from  particular  localities,  when  they  should  do  so  to 
enable  the  race  to  be  satisfactorily  established,  and  specimens 
from  even  the  same  locality  vary  among  themselves,  and  although 

*"  Clearly  referable  to  the  northern  form."  Chapman,  Bull.  Amer.  Mus.  Nat.  Hist., 
1889,  p.  118. 


JUNE,  igoi.    MAMMALS  FROM  N.  C. ,  S.  C.,  GA.  AND  FLA.— ELLIOT.     43 

this  series  is  not  very  large  (71  specimens,  counting  those  of  all 
the  states  represented),  yet  it  should  give  one  a  fair  idea  as  to 
what  discernible  differences  exist,  and  where  gradation  from 
species  to  race  begins,  while  in  fact  it  does  nothing  of  the  kind. 
From  these  specimens  I  should  be  inclined,  taking  them  as  one 
lot,  to  regard  those  from  Florida  as  the  lighter  of  the  two,  instead 
of  the  darker,  although  as  I  have  said  those  from  Micco  are  very 
dark,  but  E.  Penn  specimens  and  certain  ones  from  Espanita, 
Anastasia  Island,  and  also  from  Citronelle,  are  lined  with  clay 
colored  or  very  pale  yellow  hairs  amid  the  black. 

Judging  therefore  from  this  series,  it  would  seem  that  a  large 
collection  of  this  rat  from  both  the  south  Atlantic  States  and 
Florida,  and  from  numerous  localities,  will  be  required  before 
the  proper  status  of  the  subspecies  can  be  satisfactorily  deter- 
mined. Besides  the  specimens  already  enumerated,  there  are  in 
the  Museum  others  from  E.  Penn,  Enterprise,  Gainesville, 
Flamingo  and  Jupiter,  all  collected  by  Mr.  Chapman,  and  con- 
sidered by  him  to  be  S.  h.  littoralis.  These  vary  in  coloration, 
but  not  so  much  as  the  specimens  in  my  series  do,  probably 
because  they  are  few,  only  eight.  However,  two  from  E.  Penn 
opposite  Micco,  present  a  very  dark,  almost  black  appearance, 
unlike  any  in  my  series  from  the  same  locality,  and  also  one  lined 
with  clay  colored  hairs  like  my  examples.  The  specimen  from 
Flamingo  is  of  the  lighter  style,  while  again  the  one  from  Jupiter 
is  dark.  Enterprise  possesses  both  styles,  but  the  Gainesville 
specimen  cannot  be  separated  from  those  from  South  Carolina. 
The  animal  evidently  has  a  very  variable  coloration,  and,  from 
the  evidence  before  me,  it  would  seem  to  offer  a  very  unreliable 
character  for  separating  individuals  in  certain  parts  of  Florida 
from  those  found  in  the  more  northern  states. 

ORYZOMYS. 
Oryzomys  palustris. 

Oryzomys   palustris.      (Harlan),  Amer.  Journ.  Scien.,  1837,  p. 

385-_ 

Eighteen  specimens:  2,  Calhoun  Falls,  South  Carolina;  5, 
Riceboro;  3,  St.  Marys,  Georgia;  8,  New  Berlin,  Florida. 

This  species  was  evidently  not  very  common.  Mr.  Surber 
says:  "  I  first  met  with  Oryzomys  at  Calhoun  Falls,  South 
Carolina,  securing  two  specimens  at  the  head  of  a  little  creek  in 
a  canebrake.  At  New  Berlin  I  saw  a  few  of  their  nests,  built 
in  the  marsh  grass  well  above  high-water  mark,  and  here  a  few 
were  taken." 


44  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,   VOL.   III. 

Oryzomys  palustris  natator. 

Oryzomys  p.  natator.  Chapman,  Bull.  Amer.  Mus.  Nat.  Hist., 
1893,  p.  44- 

Nineteen  specimens:  3,  Espanita,  Anastasia  Island;  3,  Micco; 
10,  Enterprise;  3,  Gainesville,  Florida. 

Mr.  Chapman,  in  his  description  of  this  form,  says  that  it  is 
darker  than  North  Carolina  specimens,  and  judging  from  a  single 
example  before  me,  from  Raleigh,  North  Carolina,  I  should  say 
this  was  correct,  but  it  will  not  answer  for  a  character  in  general, 
for  the  examples  of  O.  palustris  in  the  small  series  before  me  are 
very  much  darker  than  those  representing  the  subspecies,  and  so 
much  darker  than  the  North  Carolina  specimen  as  to  be  strik- 
ingly different.  Writing  of  their  nests,  Mr.  Surber  says  that 
"some  of  them  are  as  large  as  those  of  Microtus  (Neo fiber)  alleni, 
but  can  be  told  from  the  latter  at  a  glance.  Almost  invariably  I 
found  their  nests  in  bunches  of  cat-o-nine  tails,  built  up  about  a 
foot  above  the  water,  but  in  some  cases  higher,  never  being  found 
on  the  water  level.  They  are  composed  principally  of  the  blades 
of  the  cat-o-nine  tails  interwoven  with  some  wire  grass,  with  one 
entrance  on  the  side,  rather  underneath." 

RHITHRODONTOMYS. 
Rhithrodontomys  lecontei. 

Rhithrodontomys  lecontei.  (Aud.  and  Bachm.,)  Jour.  Acad. 
Nat.  Scien.  Phil.,  1842,  p.  307. 

Seven  examples  from  Gainesville,  Florida. 

"A  number  of  the  harvest  mouse,'1  says  Mr.  Surber,  "were 
taken  and  ruined  by  ants  and  hot  weather.  I  found  it  associated 
with  Peromyscus  subgriseus  on  the  high  land  south  of  the  city,  but 
others  were  taken  on  lower  land  among  the  broom  grass.  This 
mouse  apparently  lives  on  the  seeds  of  the  broom  grass,  for  it  is 
invariably  found  in  such  growth." 

Rhithrodontomys  lecontei  dickinsoni. 

Rhithrodontomys    1.    dickinsoni.       Rhoads,    Am.    Nat.,    xxix, 

1895,  P-  59°- 

A  single  specimen  referred  to  this  form  was  procured  at  Enter- 
prise, Florida. 

Mr.  Bangs  regards  this  as  a  very  doubtful  subspecies,  and 
probably  he  is  correct  in  so  doing,  but  judging  from  a  single 
specimen  (an  unadvisable  thing  to  do),  it  seems  about  as  worthy 


FIELD   COLUMBIAN    MUSEUM. 


ZOOLOGY,    PL.   V. 


MICROTUS  (NEOFIBER)  ALLENI. 
PHOTOGRAPHED  FROM  LIFE. 


JUNE,  1901.   MAMMALS  FROM  N.  C.,  S.  C. ,  GA.  AND  FLA. — ELLIOT.     45 

of  recognition  as  most  forms  that  enjoy  a  similar  rank.  How  it 
would  stand  the  test  of  a  large  series  I  am  not  prepared  to  say, 
but  at  present  give  it  the  benefit  of  the  doubt.  It  does  not  agree 
with  the  specimens  of  Rhithrodontomys  from  Gainesville,  and  I 
believe  the  example  is  the  first  taken  in  eastern  Florida. 

NEOTOMA. 
Neotoma  floridana. 

Neotoma  floridana.  (Ord),  Bull.  Soc.  Philom.,  Phil.,  1818, 
p.  181. 

Eleven  specimens:  6,  Riceboro,  Georgia;  2,  Enterprise;  3, 
Gainesville,  Florida. 

The  above  were  the  only  places  where  Mr.  Surber  found  this 
rat.  He  says:  "A  month's  search  about  New  Berlin  failed, 
and  I  am  confident  it  is  not  found  very  near  there.  Bangs 
records  several  specimens  from  New  Berlin,  taken  by  Mr.  Brown, 
but  they  must  have  been  taken  several  miles  distant  in  the 
swamps.  The  native  name  for  this  rat  about  Enterprise  is  '  cow 
rat';  at  several  different  points  at  this  place  I  saw  work  of  this 
rat,,  but  it  was  all  old.  In  a  low,  wet  hummock,  by  the  side  of 
Lake  Munroe,  two  specimens,  an  adult  £  and  a  young  9  ,.  were 
secured." 

MICROTUS. 
Microtus  (Neofiber)  alleni. 

Neofiber  alleni.      True,  Science,  iv,  1884,  p.  347. 

Twenty -three  specimens:  8,  Enterprise;  15,  Gainesville, 
Florida. 

This  was  one  of  the  species  found  in  Florida  which  Mr.  Surber 
was  particularly  instructed  to  seek.  In  places  such  as  Oak 
Lodge,  where  Mr.  Bangs  had  formerly  found  them  numerous, 
not  a  specimen  was  secured  nor  an  individual  seen,  and  even  in 
the  localities  in  which  Mr.  Surber  found  them  they  were  few  in 
number.  Is  this  species  marching  toward  extinction?  The 
following  are  Mr.  Surber's  accounts  of  this  animal,  as  observed  at 
Enterprise  and  Gainesville  : 

"  I  found  two  colonies  of  Neofiber  in  a  small  lake  called  Gleason's 
pond",  about  two  miles  north  of  Enterprise,  one  colony  of  about 
fifteen  nests  being  in  the  southern  end  of  the  lake,  while  the 
other  was  a  mile  distant  in  the  northern  end,  also  of  about  the 
same  number  of  nests.  Either  the  Florida  muskrat  builds  two 


46  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.   III. 

or  three  nests  for  use  at  one  time  or  continually  shifts  about,  build- 
ing a  nest  in  which  to  live  while  it  constructs  another,  for  fully 
two-thirds  of  the  nests  were  always  uninhabited.  Their  nests  are 
firmly  and  neatly  woven  of  grass  and  fine  weed  stalks,  anchored 
to  the  surrounding  tufts  of  grass  and  floating  in  the  water.  But 
two  exceptions  to  this  were  noted  and  then  the  nests  were  built 
against  the  base  of  a  bush  and  a  stump  respectively,  with  only 
about  a  foot  of  water  beneath.  These  two  nests  had  but  a  single 
entrance,  which  was  at  one  side  and  of  course  under  the  water. 
All  the  other  nests  I  saw  were  placed  in  water  ranging  from  18 
inches  to  3  feet  in  depth,  and  invariably  had  two  entrances,  one 
on  each  side,  well  under  the  water.  The  nests  are  a  perfect 
dome  shape  as  they  float  on  the  water,  and  average  14  inches  in 
diameter  by  12  inches  high.  That  is  the  nest  which  appears 
above  the  surface  of  the  water,  but  it  is  generally  resting  on  a 
mass  of  half-rotten  grass  ranging  from  18  inches  to  24  inches  in 
diameter,  and  a  few  inches  thick.  The  platform  on  which  the 
rat  both  sits  and  sleeps  is  only  about  4  inches  wide,  the  entrances 
being  on  either  side  of  it,  and  often  this  platform  is  quite  wet,  in 
fact  it  is  so  near  the  water  it  could  not  well  be  otherwise:  I 
once  saw  some  short  pieces  of  marsh  grass  on  the  little  platform 
and  being  perfectly  green  must  have  been  serving  as  a  meal  for 
the  rat.  Luck  seemed  against  my  securing  a  really  good  photo 
of  their  nests,  but  the  one  I  did  secure  finally  will  give  a  good 
idea  of  what  they  appear  like.  None  of  the  nests  were  placed 
over  20  feet  from  shore  and  were  invariably  built  among  the  high 
marsh  grass,  which  so  closely  resembles  the  broom  sedge  grass 
of  the  dry  old  fields.  I  never  saw  the  animals  swimming  about 
in  the  water,. in  fact  I  saw  but  one  alive  and  free,  and  that  one 
was  sitting  on  top  of  its  nest  one  day  during  a  hard  rain,  disap- 
pearing into  the  water  like  a  flash  when  it  saw  me.  I  believe  one 
rat  is  all  that  frequents  a  nest.  On  opening  a  nest  on  February 
22d  I  was  delighted  to  find  it  contained  two  young  ones —  $  and 
9  — their  eyes  yet  unopened  and  I  should  judge  about  a  week 
old.  They  had  a  thick  coat  of  very  dark  hair  and  were  very 
pretty,  but  odd  looking  little  fellows,  their  noses  being  very 
blunt,  and  resembling  nothing  so  much  as  the  pictures  of 
young  hippopotami  I  have  seen.  These  two  young  ones  were  in 
the  nest  referred  to  above  as  being  built  against  a  stump.  This 
nest  was  far  more  substantially  built  than  any  of  the  others,  and 
the  interior  was  very  dry  and  nice.  These  little  fellows  must 
have  been  born  about  the  i5th  of  February,  from  which  we  must 


JUNE,  1901.   MAMMALS  FROM  N.  C.,  S.  C.,  GA.  AND  FLA.  —  ELLIOT.     47 

conclude  they  are  early  breeders.  The  two  colonies  frequenting 
this  small  lake  were  all  I  could  find,  though  I  searched  far  and 
wide  for  others,  and  there  are  suitable  ponds  everywhere  about 
Enterprise.  It  is  no  use  trying  to  get  any  information  about 
this  species  from  the  natives  in  the  region  it  frequents,  for  not 
one  out  of  a  hundred  know  of  their  existence,  and  the  animals 
are  quite  a  curiosity  to  the  vast  majority  of  even  the  oldest 
inhabitants ;  men  who  hunt  for  curios  all  the  season  through 
knowing  nothing  whatever  about  them.  The  series  of  ten  speci- 
mens secured  were  all  taken  at  Enterprise,  as  I  was  unable  to 
find  them  elsewhere  in  the  State. 

While  at  Micco  in  February  1  trapped  the  savannah  for  this 
species  as  far  north  nearly  as  Grant,  and  south  quite  to  the 
Sebastian  River  without  any  success.  While  trapping  near  Oak 
Lodge  in  April  I  fully  expected  to  secure  them,  but  was  again 
disappointed,  though  there  must  be  a  few  at  least  remaining  in 
the  extensive  savannah  just  west  of  Mr.  Latham's  house.  -Taken 
as  a  whole  I  believe  it  a  rare  animal  now,  likely  soon  to  become 
rarer,  for  it  is  very  easily  trapped  when  once  its  nest  is  found. 

Shortly  after  my  arrival  at  Gainesville  I  secured  one  water  rat 
from  a  nest  in  the  western  end  of  Biven's  Arm,  and  it  was  a  week 
before  I  found. another  nest.  Taking  a  boat  at  last,  and  getting 
a  negro  to  help  me,  we  cut  our  way  through  the  dense  mass  of 
floating  vegetation  and  entered  into  the  center  of  the  mass  of 
floating  islands  in  Biven's  Arm,  where  I  found  quite  a  colony  of 
the  rats,  but  securing  only  12  specimens  out  of  some  30  nests, 
among  the  lot  being  one  young  one  not  over  a  day  old.  These 
nests  were  built  of  the  same  material  and  in  exactly  the  same 
manner  as  those  found  last  year  near  Enterprise,  being  composed 
mainly  of  a  sort  of  wire  grass.  With  much  trouble  I  at  last 
secured  a  photo  of  a  nest  which  may  be  regarded  as  typical,  and 
it  was  built  among  the  dead  weeds  and  grass  near  the  edge  of 
one  of  the  floating  islands,  where  the  water  was  about  20 
inches  deep.  The  water  within  6  feet  of  the  nest  was  fully  10 
feet  deep,  as  the  island  sloped  off  rather  abruptly  there.  Under- 
neath the  nest  the  water  was  perfectly  clear,  and  the  whole 
bottom  was  covered  with  a  sort  of  short  wire  grass,  with  here 
and  there  a  small  water  lily.  That  part  of  the  nest  visible 
above  the  water  was  g  inches  high  and -solidly  arched  over,  but 
the  whole  mass  under  the  surface  was  rather  loose  and  spread 
over  a  surface  of  nearly  2  feet,  the  whole  being  firmly  anchored 
to  the  dead  weed  stalks.  A  few  of  the  nests,  however,  were 


48  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM  —  ZOOLOGY,  VOL.   III. 

built  on  the  tops  of  the  islands  and  in  that  case  they  had  both 
shallow  runways,  like  trenches,  leading  from  the  nests  to  the  open 
water,  and  also  holes  leading  straight  down  to  the  bottom  of  the 
island,  from  the  usual  entrances  found  in  the  floating  nests.  I 
set  a  number  of  traps  in  these  runways  but  caught  only  one  rat 
there,  so  they  can  be  used  but  very  little.  A  day  or  so  before  I 
left  Gainesville,  I  went  after  rabbits  around  the  western  end  of 
Payne's  prairie  and  while  going  through  a  cane-brake  found  a 
dead  Neofiber  lying  in  the  water  with  a  wound  on  its  head,  but 
though  I  searched  everywhere  in  the  vicinity  for  .a  nest  or  run- 
way could  find  none.  This  was  some  distance  from  the  open 
water.  It  is  my  opinion  Neofiber  is  abundant  on  Payne's  prairie, 
for  it  extends  for  miles,  but  is  impenetrable  on  account  of  the 
matted  growth  of  weeds  and  grass,  interspersed  with  big  open 
stretches  of  water,  the  abode  of  myriads  of  snakes.  However, 
I  think  the  use  of  a  canvas  canoe  would  solve  the  difficulty,  and 
the  •  collector  who  goes  there  with  one  will  no  doubt  reap  a 
harvest.  One  of  the  rats  being  but  slightly  injured  was  taken  to 
the  city  where  I  attempted  to  photograph  it  alive,  but  with  poor 
results,  as  it  fought  like  a  fury,  biting  at  everything  in  reach." 

Microtus  pinetorum. 

Microtus  pinetorum.  LeConte,  Ann.  N.  Y.  Lye.,  Nat.  Hist., 
iii,  1829,  p.  132,  pi.  2. 

Three  examples:  2  Apex,  North  Carolina  ;  i  Catawba,  South 
Carolina. 

Of  this  species  Mr.  Surber  states  that  "two  pine  voles  were 
secured  in  the  pine  woods  at  Apex,  North  Carolina,  where  they 
were  undoubtedly  common,  and  another  was  taken  in  a  cotton 
field  at  Catawba,  South  Carolina.  I  am  positive  they  are  quite 
common  at  Calhoun  Falls,  but  all  my  efforts  to  get  any  failed, 
and  no  others  were  secured  on  the  entire  trip." 


FAM. 

GEOMYS. 
Geomys  tuza. 

Geomys  tuza.  (Ord,)  Guthr.  Geogr.  ,  2nd  Amer.  ed.,  ii,  1815, 
p.  292. 

One  example  taken  at  Rocky  Ford,  Georgia,  "among  the 
sand  hills,  between  the  railroad  track  and  the  Ogeechee  River. 
Although  I  searched  the  country  for  miles,  no  others  were 
found." 


HELD  COLUMBIAN    MUSEUM. 


ZOOLOGY,    PL.   VIII. 


HlLLS  OF   THE  "SALAMANDER." 
GEOMYS  TUZA  FLORIDANA. 


JUNE,  1901.  MAMMALS  FROM  N.  C,  S.  C,  GA.  AND  FLA. — ELLIOT.     49 

Geomys  tuza  floridanus. 

Geomys  t.  floridanus.  (Aud.  and  Bach.,)  N.  Am.  Quad.,  iii, 
1854,  p.  242. 

Thirteen  specimens:  6,  New  Berlin;  i,  St.  Charles  Creek;  5, 
Gainesville;  i,  Citronelle,  Florida. 

"Several  specimens,"  writes  Mr.  Surber,  "of  this  species  were 
taken  at  New  Berlin,  and  one  was  taken  in  the  flat  woods  a  few 
miles  east,  at  St.  Charles  Creek,  where  they  were  common.  At 
the  latter  place  I  secured  a  photograph  of  the  hills  of  this  mam- 
mal, which  gives  an  excellent  idea  of  the  appearance  of  the  pine 
woods  where  they  are  found,  as  the  hills  lead  for  miles  through 
the .  timber,  where  there  is  no  undergrowth  to  hinder  them. 
Their  hills  are  a  common  sight  from  the  train  between  Jackson- 
ville and  St.  Augustine.  They  are  not  found  near  Enterprise,  but 
I  was  told  they  are  plentiful  near  De  Laud,  twelve  miles  away." 

Geomys  tuza  austrinus.? 

Geomys   t.   austrinus.     Bangs,    Proc.    Bost.   Soc.    Nat.    Hist., 
1898,  p.  179. 
-    Ten  examples  from  Tarpon  Springs,  Florida. 

Judging  from  these  specimens,  this  is  a  very  doubtful  sub- 
species, and  the  characters  given  by  Mr.  Bangs  to  distinguish  it 
from  G.  t.  floridanus,  such  as,  "much  paler  and  more  tawny 
above;  much  more  white  on  under  parts,"  do  not  hold  good  when 
compared  with  specimens  from  Gainesville  and  New  Berlin.  Mr. 
Bangs  says  the  Gainesville  specimens  are  good  "intermediates;" 
perhaps  these  from  Tarpon  Springs  are  also,  although  they  are 
perilously  close  to  the  type  locality.  If  these  from  Tarpon 
Springs  are  "intermediates,"  then  G.  t.  austrinus  is  not  repre- 
sented in  my  series,  but  it  would  be  interesting  to  know  where 
its  geographical  limits  begin.  In  comparison  with  New  Berlin 
specimens,  which  I  suppose  will  be  acknowledged  as  G.  t.  flori- 
danus, some  of  the  eastern  examples  have  more  white  beneath 
than  any  from  Tarpon  Springs,  and  these  latter  are  in  nowise 
paler  above,  thus  rendering  the  characters  for  separating  them 
of  little  value.  I  am  inclined  to  refer  all  these  specimens  to  G. 
t,  floridanus,  but  wait  for  a  larger  series  to  ascertain  if  any  char- 
acters really  do  exist  that  would  be  worthy  of  recognition.  The 
specimens  before  me  do  not  possess  any. 

Geomys  colonus. 

Geomys  colonus.     Bangs,  Proc.    Bost.  Soc.  Nat.  Hist.,  1898, 

P-  178,  fig- 

Three  examples  from  St.  Marys,  Georgia. 


50  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.    III. 

This  is  a  very  dark  colored  form  of  Geomys,  like  melanistic 
individuals  occasionally  seen  in  different  species  of  the  group. 
The  three  specimens  are  alike,  and  are  nearly  black  on  the  upper 
parts  and  sides,  a  slight  tinge  of  brown  being  occasionally  visi- 
ble. The  cranial  characters,  as  mentioned  by  Mr.  Bangs,  are  to 
be  seen  in  the  slightly  wider  palate  and  the  wider  and  rounder 
palatal  notch,  when  compared  with  G.  tuza  or  even  with  G.  t. 
floridanus.  Mr.  Surber  states  that  "the  three  specimens  of  this 
'  Salamander '  were  secured  on  the  Arpow  (not  Arnott)  plantation, 
four  miles  from  St.  Marys.  Apparently  they  were  abundant,  but 
I  could  find  but  few  fresh  hills,  though  old  signs  of  their  pres- 
ence could  be  seen  in  abundance  through  the  high  pine  woods. 
They  do  not  seem  to  differ  in  their  habits  from  either  G-  tuza  or 
G.  t.  floridanus. 


FAM. 

LEPUS. 
Lepus  floridanus. 

Lepus  floridanus.     Allen,  Bull.  Amer.  Mus.  Nat.  Hist.,  1899, 

P-  13- 

Four  examples:   i,  Micco;  3,  Enterprise,  Florida. 

Mr.  Surber  writes  that  this  species  was  "fairly  common 
about  Enterprise,  particularly  in  the  flat  woods  and  sand 
ridges." 

• 
Lepus  floridanus  mallurus. 

Lepus  f.  mallurus.  Thomas,  Ann.  Mag.  Nat.  Hist.,  1898, 
p.  320. 

Three  specimens:  i,  Apex,  North  Carolina;  i,  Gainesville;  i, 
Enterprise,  Florida. 

"Cotton-tails,"  writes  Mr.  Surber,  "were  fairly  common  at  all 
the  places  visited  except  Riceboro,  Georgia,  and  in  the  immedi- 
ate vicinity  of  New  Berlin,  Florida.  On  Anastasia  Island  they 
were  very  rare,  the  common  rabbit  of  the  Island  being  L.  palus- 
tris.  On  the  East  Peninsula  I  failed  to  take  any  rabbits  at  all, 
but  this  peninsula,  as  well  as  the  mainland  of  Florida,  is  densely 
covered  with  scrub  palmetto,  and  one  very  seldom  gets  a  shot  at 
a  rabbit;  in  fact,  one  seldom  gets  even  a  glimpse  of  one,  unless 
hunting  with  hounds,  which  is  the  only  successful  way  to  kill 
them  in  Florida." 


JUNE,  1901.   MAMMALS  FROM  N.  C.,  S.  C.,  GA.  AND  FLA. — ELLIOT.     51 

Lepus  palustris. 

Lepus  palustris.  Bachm.,  Jour.  Acad.  Nat.  Scien.  Phil.,  1837, 
p.  194,  pis.  15,  16. 

One  specimen,  New  Berlin,  Florida. 

"At  New  Berlin,"  Mr.  Surber  writes,  "  I  took  one  specimen 
in  a  steel  trap  set  for  coons,  but  it  was  not  at  all  common  in  the 
extensive  marshes  there,  nor  back  from  the  St.  John's  River 
among  the  hardwood  swamps.  It  was  unknown  in  the  section 
of  North  Carolina  I  visited,  and  also  at  Catawba,  South  Car- 
olina. 

Lepus  palustris  paludicola. 

Lepus  p.  paludicola.  Miller  and  Bangs,  Proc.  Biol.  Soc. 
Wash.,  1894,  p.  105. 

Four  examples  from  Enterprise,  Florida. 

Mr.  Surber  writes:  "  If  the  marsh  rabbit  found  at  Enterprise 
proves  to  be  of  this  form  (paludicola),  it  will  extend  its  range 
slightly.  I  found  it  extremely  abundant  at  Enterprise  in  March, 
though  on  my  first  visit  in  January  I  failed  to  see  a  single  one. 
Being  the  love  season  no  doubt  made  them  more  noticeable  in 
March,  for  they  were  then  hopping  about  everywhere,  even  as 
early  in  the  afternoon  as  4  o'clock,  while  about  sunset  they  were 
seen  everywhere  about  the  roads  and  clearings.  They  inhabit 
sparingly  the  sand  ridges  with  the  cotton-tails,  but  appear  to  be  as 
much  at  home  on  the  higher  land,  among  the  broom  grass,  as  they 
are  in  the  wet  hummocks,  where  I  found  them  even  more  com- 
monly than  in  the  palmetto  hummocks  and  swamps.  They 
appear  to  me  to  be  fleeter  of  foot  than  the  cotton-tails." 

Procyon  lotor. 

Procyon  lotor.     (Linn.,)  Syst.  Nat.,  i,  1758,  p.  48. 

Five  examples:   i,  St.  Marys,  Georgia;  4,  New  Berlin. 

This  is  what  I  suppose  Mr.  Bangs  would  call  his  P.  I.  elucus. 
My  specimens  are  few  and  consequently  I  am  unable  to  give  any 
opinion  upon  the  value  of  that  subspecies,  but  after  careful 
comparison  of  the  skin,  skull  and  measurements  of  the  large 
example  (No.  7,)  with  others  ;from  northern  localities,  I  am 
unable  to  separate  it  from  P.  lotor.  I  do  not  wish  to  be  under- 
stood as  intimating  there  is  no  valid  subspecies  of  Procyon 
in  Florida,  only  that  the  large  example  does  not  show  it.  In 


FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.   III. 

size  the  raccoon  is  very  variable  everywhere,  even  among  adults, 
and  little  dependence  can  be  placed  upon  size  as  a  character. 
To  show  this,  a  small  table  of  measurements  is  here  given  of 
my  Florida  specimens,  and  of  Mr.  Bangs'  type,  and  of  others 
from  northern  localities,  typical  P.  lotor: 


LOCALITY. 

Total  length. 

Tail  vertebrae. 

Hind  foot. 

i.     Hastings,  N.  Y  

876. 

241  . 

101  . 

2.     White  Sulphur,  W.  Va  

771:. 

262. 

IDS.  =;o 

3.     Black  Mountain,  W.  Va  

825. 

280. 

115. 

4.     Black  Mountain,  W.  Va  

825. 

2^O. 

IIO. 

5.     Black  Mountain,  W.  Va  

645. 

2^O. 

OQ. 

6.     St.  Marys,  Ga  ... 

7IO. 

27O. 

IO^ 

7.     New  Berlin,  Fla  

786. 

25O. 

US". 

8.     New  Berlin,  Fla  

6ol. 

24;  . 

I  IO 

9.     New  Berlin,  Fla  

6oO. 

217. 

103. 

10.     New  Berlin,  Fla  

600. 

21O. 

IO2. 

II      Oak  Lodge  —  Bangs'  type.   ... 

802. 

286. 

12? 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  while  none  of  the  typical  P.  lotor  speci- 
mens equal  Bangs'  type,  one  or  two  come  very  near  it;  but  none 
of  the  Florida  specimens  approach  it  at  all  in  size ;  the  largest, 
Mr.  Surber's  "timber  coon,"  (No.  7,)  being  considerably  smaller. 
The  New  Berlin  examples  are  very  adult,  the  one  whose  measure- 
ments are  given  last  but  one  (No.  10),  having  the  molar  series 
worn  smooth.  Bangs  does  not  say  if  his  type  is  one  of  his  largest 
specimens,  or  if  it  is  of  an  average  size.  If  it  is  the  latter,  then 
the  raccoons  south  of  New  Berlin  must  grow  larger  than  those  in 
that  locality.  Among  the  cranial  characters  given  are  "never 
so  abruptly  constricted  behind  postorbital  process,"  and  "frontal 
region  higher  and  more  arched."  The  Florida  skulls  before  me 
vary  greatly,  and  the  postorbital  constriction  and  height  of 
frontal  region  are  by  no  means  alike  among  them.  Two  of  the 
smaller  skulls  have  no  postorbital  processes  and  differ  from 
the  rest  in  this  respect.  The  frontal  region  in  them  all  is  high 
and  arched,  but  this  "character"  is  nearly  equalled  by  the  skull 
of  the  example  from  Black  Mountain,  W.  Va.  (No.  3),  whose 
measurements  are  given  in  the  table.  There  is  more  differ- 
ence between  the  skulls  of  the  large  and  small  examples  from  New 
Berlin  than  there  is  between  those  of  No.  7  and  Virginia  speci- 
mens, and  it  would  seem  that  if  there  is  a  subspecies  of  P.  lotor 


FIELD   COLUMBIAN    MUSEUM. 


Z06LOGY,   PL.    IX. 


PROCYON  LOTOR,  BLACK  MOUNTAIN,  W.  VA.,  No.  3. 

No.  7889  Field  Columbian  Mus.  Coll.    Nat.  size. 


•, 


FIELD   COLUMBIAN    MUSEUM. 


ZOOLOGY,    PL.   X. 


PROCYON  LOTOR,  NEW  BERLIN,  FLORIDA,  No.  7. 

No.  7884  Field  Columbian  Mus.  Col!.     Nat.  size. 


JUNE,  1901.   MAMMALS  FROM  N.  C,  S.  C.,  GA.  AND  FLA. — ELLIOT.     53 

in  Florida,  it  would  more  probably  be  found  in  the  small  animal 
known  as  "marsh  coon"  than  in  the  larger  kind  named  by  Mr. 
Bangs.  In  color  of  pelage  I  can  see  no  difference  worthy  of 
remark,  and  the  shoulder  patches  of  northern  specimens  are 
quite  as  deep  as  are  those  in  Florida  examples. 

The  plates  exhibit  skulls  of  raccoons  from  West  Virginia  and 
Florida,  Nos.  i  and  7,  both  being  of  rather  an  extreme  type  in 
the  frontal  elevation  ;  and  some  of  the  Florida  skulls  have  the 
superior  outline  considerably  less  curved. 

Mr.  Surber's  notes  of  the  Florida  raccoon  are  the  following  : 
"No  coons  were  taken  in  the  Carolinas  or  Georgia,*  but  I 
found  them  very  common  at  New  Berlin,  in  the  sea  marsh,  where 
several  specimens  were  taken.  This  small,  yellowish  marsh  coon 
is  very  different  in  appearance  from  typical  lotor,  and  they  must 
be  seen  in  the  flesh  to  fully  appreciate  the  difference.  One  of 
the  greatest  peculiarities  I  found  about  this  small  coon  was  its 
habit  of  barking,  when  one  is  approached  in  a  trap,  this  bark 
closely  resembling  that  of  a  small  rat  terrier.  Each  one  I  took 
invariably  began  barking  as  soon  as  it  saw  me,  its  bark  some- 
times changing  to  a  sort  of  chattering  growl.  Had  I  the  privi- 
lege of  giving  this  coon  a  common  name,  I  should  certainly  call 
it  the  "Barking  coon,"  for  it  seems  to  me  to  well  deserve  the 
title.  I  have  taken  a  great  many  specimens  of  P,  lotor  in  the 
mountains  of  West  Virginia  and  elsewhere,  but  have  never  noticed 
this  peculiarity  before.  In  a  hardwood  hummock,  well  back  from 
the  St.  John's  River,  at  New  Berlin,  I  took  a  very  large  coon, 
(No.  7),  closely  resembling  P.  lotor,  and  all  the  hunters  and  trap- 
pers who  saw  it  at  once  pronounced  it  the  "  timber  coon."  If 
this  should  eventually  prove  to  be  so,  will  the  so-called  "timber 
coon  "  prove  to  be  typical  P.  lotor?  All  along  the  east  coast  I 
was  told  of  the  two  varieties,  one  large  and  dark,  the  other  small 
and  yellowish  with  very  long  legs,  the  former  known  as  the 
"timber"  variety,  the  latter  as  the  "marsh"  coon.  It  is  to  be 
regretted  very  much  that  I  was  unable  to  get  specimens  at  Enter- 
prise, where  I  heard  of  but  the  one  species.  Raccoons  are  by 
far  the  commonest  mammal  on  the  salt  marsh  near  New  Berlin, 
their  paths  leading  in  every  direction  through  the  tall  marsh 
grass.  They  are  also  fairly  common  on  the  East  Peninsula  near 
Oak  Lodge,  but  the  only  one  trapped  bit  its  foot  off  and 
escaped." 

*  Specimen  taken  at  St.  Marys,  Ga.,  after  these  notes  were  sent  in. 


54  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.   III. 

FAM.   MUSTELID^. 

MEPHITIS. 
Mephitis  elongata. 

Mephitis  elongata.  Bangs,  Proc.  Biol.  Soc.  Wash.,  1896, 
p.  142. 

One  specimen,  Enterprise,  Florida. 

Mr.  Surber's  notes  give  this  account  of  the  single  specimen. 
"  I  met  with  skunks  nowhere  but  at  Enterprise  where  I  trapped 
a  specimen  near  the  shore  of  Gleason's  pond.  A  few  days  later 
while  lying  for  an  alligator  in  the  tall  grass  on  the  edge  of  this 
same  lake,  another  skunk  came  trotting  along,  and  I  shot  it  with 
my  .5oo-bore  express  rifle  and  of  course  ruined  all  but  the  skull. 
They  were  not  at  all  common  at  any  of  the  places  visited  in 
the  State." 

SPILOGALE. 
Spilogale  ambarvalis. 

Spilogale  ambarvalis.  Bangs,  Proc.  Bost.  Soc.  Nat.  Hist., 
1898,  p.  222. 

Two  specimens,  Oak  Lodge,  Florida. 

"Two  specimens"  writes  Mr.  Surber,  "of  this  beautiful  little 
skunk  were  taken  just  south  of  Oak  Lodge,  and  the  foot  of 
another  secured  at  the  same  place,  but  it  was  apparently  rare  at 
the  time  of  my  visit,  as  I  saw  tracks  of  but  one  individual.  This 
species  is  unknown  in  the  region  about  Enterprise,  but  it  may 
yet  be  discovered  along  the  beach  near  the  mouth  of  the  St. 
John's,  as  a  skunk  described  to  me  from  Fort  George  Island, 
must  be  of  this  species." 

PUTORIUS. 
Putorius  vison  lutreocephalus. 

Putorius  vison  lutreocephalus.  (Harlan,)  Faun.  Amer. ,  1825, 
p.  63. 

One  specimen,  Calhoun  Falls,  South  Carolina. 

"With  the  exception  of  a  fine  specimen,"  says  Mr.  Surber, 
"that  I  trapped  at  Calhoun  Falls,  South  Carolina,  no  minks 
were  secured  on  the  trip.  They  were  apparently  rare  through 
the  Carolinas  and  Georgia.  The  salt  marsh  mink,  P.  lutensis, 
was  formerly  common  in  the  vicinity  of  New  Berlin,  but  not  a 
single  one  was  taken  during  the  past  winter.  Mr.  Thos.  Grey 


JUNE,  1901.   MAMMALS  FROM  N.  C.,  S.  C. ,  GA.  AND  FLA. — ELLIOT.     55 

of  New  Berlin,  a  veteran  mink  trapper,  helped  me  explore  the 
marshes  thoroughly,  but  we  had  no  success,  not  even  finding  a 
track.  While  pushing  my  boat  through  the  marsh  at  St.  Charles 
Creek  early  in  March  I  saw  a  mink,  but  it  disappeared  beneath 
the  water  before  I  could  reach  my  gun.  This  was  the  nearest  I 
came  to  getting  a  mink  in  that  whole  region.  Apparently  minks 
are  not  found  at  Enterprise,  nor  at  Micco. 

Putorius  peninsulse. 

Putorius  peninsulae.  Rhoads,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Scien.  Phila., 
1894,  p.  152. 

One  example,  Enterprise,  Florida. 

"I  did  not  meet  with  weasels,"  says  Mr.  Surber,  "anywhere, 
but  they  are  found  in  the  region  about  Enterprise,  where  Mr. 
Otto  H.  Voss  presented  me  with  a  skin  of  an  individual  taken  in 
the  neighborhood  some  time  previously.  An  old  negro  shot  one 
last  year  (1899),  in  a  hummock  at  the  north  end  of  Gleason's 
pond,  but  thought  it  was  a  rat  until  informed  otherwise.  It 
must  be  a  very  rare  animal  everywhere." 


ORDER   INSECTIVORA. 
FAM.   I.   SORICID.E. 

BLARINA. 

» 
Blarina  brevicauda  carolinensis. 

Blarina  brevicauda  carolinensis.  (Bachm.,)  Jour.  Acad.  Nat. 
Scien.  Phila.,  1837,  p.  366. 

One  specimen,  Apex,  North  Carolina. 

"Only  two  were  taken  on  the  trip,  both  in  North  Carolina, 
one  in  a  low  and  damp  woodland,  the  other  in  an  old  field  grown 
up  in  broom  grass." 

Blarina  floridana. 

Blarina  floridana.     Merr.  N.  Am.   Faun.,   No.  10,  1895,  p.  19. 

One  example,  Enterprise,  Florida. 

"One  specimen  of  this  pretty  shrew  was  taken  in  a  damp 
palmetto  hummock  at  Enterprise,  the  only  one  secured  in  the 
State.  It  was  taken  in  a  trap  baited  with  oatmeal.  The  ants 
are  so  numerous  in  Florida,  that  they  devour  all  the  bait  with 
which  shrews  are  usually  taken  (the  flesh  of  birds,  etc.),  and  it 
was  likely  for  that  reason  I  did  not  get  more." 


56  FIELD  COLUMBIAN  MUSEUM — ZOOLOGY,  VOL.   III. 

FAM.  TALPID.E. 

SCALOPS. 
Scalops  aquaticus. 

Scalops  aquaticus.      (Linn.)  Syst.  Nat.,  1758,  p.  53. 
Four  specimens:   i  Apex,  North  Carolina;  2,  Catawba;  i,  Cal- 
houn  Falls,  South  Carolina. 

At  both  Apex  and  Catawba  Mr.  Surber  found  this  species  fairly 
abundant,  but  rare  at  Calhoun  Falls;  but  in  Georgia  he  failed  to 
obtain  any  specimens. 

Scalops  aquaticus  australis. 

Scalops  aquaticus  australis.  Chapman.  Bull.  Am.  Mus.  Nat. 
Hist.,  1893,  p.  339. 

Scalops  anastasice.     Bangs,   Proc.  Bost.  Soc.  Nat.  Hist.,  1898, 

P.    212. 

Sixteen  specimens:  3,  New  Berlin;  i,  St.  Charles  Creek;  4, 
Enterprise;  4,  Gainesville;  4,  Espanita,  Anastasia  Island,  Florida. 

I  have  placed  S.  anastasice  Bangs  as  a  synonym  of  S.  aquaticus 
australis,  as  my  specimens  from  Espanita  cannot  be  distinguished 
from  those  obtained  in  the  various  localities  on  the  main  land, 
for  neither  in  color,  nor  in  the  shape  or  peculiarities  of  skull  or 
mandible  can  I  detect  any  appreciable  differences  from  the  other 
examples.  On  the  mandible  of  one  of  the  examples  from 
Gainesville,  between  the  coronoid  process  and  the  condyle 
is  a  well  developed  secondary  process,  thus  showing  that 
this  cannot  always  be  relied  upon  as  a  character  for  distin- 
guishing australis  from  aquaticus.  I  do  not  observe  it  on  any 
mandibles  of  the  other  specimens,  but  it  is  very  prominent  in 
this  one. 

On  the  east  coast  Mr.  Surber  states  that  moles  were  "  very 
rare  in  the  hummock  land,  but  everywhere  common  in  the  flat 
woods  and  on  the  sand  hills.  They  were  very  rare  at  Micco  and 
on  the  East  Peninsula  opposite,  I  saw  none  of  their  work  at  all." 
At  Gainesville,  he  says,  "they  are  very  common  about  the  city 
and  surrounding  country,  and  next  to  Sigmodon  hispidus  it  is  the 
most  abundant  species."  On  Anastasia  Island,  which  he  visited 
in  January,  he  says,  "  moles  and  their  runways  are  scarce,  and 
hard  to  trap  owing  to  the  looseness  of  the  sand.  Apparently 
they  do  not  differ  from  other  moles  in  their  habits,  and  are  found 
in  the  more  level  interior  of  the  island,  as  well  as  about  the 
sand  hills." 


JUNE,  1901.   MAMMALS  FROM  N.  C.,  S.  C.,  GA.  AND  FLA. — ELLIOT.     57 

ORDER    CHIROPTERA. 
FAM.    VESPERTILIONID.E. 

LASIURUS. 
Lasiurus  borealis. 

Lasiurus  borealis.     (Mull.,)  Naturg. ,  Suppl.,  1776,  p.  21. 
One  specimen,  Catawba,  South  Carolina. 
This  was  the  only  bat  seen  north  of  Florida. 

NYCTINOMUS. 
Nyctinomus  brasiliensis. 

Nyctinomus  brasiliensis.     Geoff.,   Am.    Scien.    Nat.,    i,    1824, 

P-  337- 

Twenty-six  specimens,  Enterprise,  Florida. 

Mr.  Surber's  account  of  the  capture  of  these  examples  is  as 
follows: 

"At  the  home  of  Mr.  Otto  H.  Voss,  near  Enterprise,  quite  a 
colony  of  these  bats  had  taken  up  their  residence  in  the  boxing 
underneath  a  martin  box  erected  on  a  tall  pole,  and  had  been 
domiciled  there  about  two  years  when  I  made  a  raid  on  them  in 
January,  securing  fifteen  specimens.  Probably  more  on  account 
of  the  odor  than  anything  else,  for  it  was  almost  sickening  in  its 
intensity,  they  had  driven  away  the  martins  the  year  before,  and 
though  none  were  in  the  martin  house  proper,  they  had  full  pos- 
session. A  portion  of  the  colony  was  left  undisturbed,  but  they 
shortly  afterwards  deserted  the  place,  and  on  my  return  to  Enter- 
prise, in  March,  Mr.  Voss  informed  me  he  hadn't  seen  any  for 
some  time.  On  this  second  visit  to  Enterprise,  late  one  after- 
noon, I  saw  issuing  from  a  shutter  in  the  upper  story  of  the  large 
building  in  which  the  postoffice  is  now  located,  several  bats, 
and  on  investigating  the  matter  next  day  I  found,  clinging  to  the 
inside  of  the  darkened  shutter  next  to  the  window  sash,  eleven 
more  Specimens  of  this  same  species  which  I  easily  secured  with 
my  hands.  They  are  the  only  bats  I  saw  anywhere  in  Florida." 


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